Wear OS 4 now rolling out to the Galaxy Watch 5 series while Pixel Watch users continue to wait

Google’s highly-anticipated Wear OS 4 update, unveiled in back in May, is now making its way to yet another one of Samsung’s smartwatches. While it was originally released with the launch of the Galaxy Watch 6, it is now also headed to the Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro.

The update is rolling out in the U.S. and can be identified by the build number ending in BWH3. The Wear OS update for the Galaxy Watch 5 is based on Android 13, just like it was when it originally rolled out to the Galaxy Watch 6.

Wear OS 4, or “One UI 5 Watch” as named by Samsung, brings a range of exciting features. Samsung’s enhancements include improved controls for connected Galaxy Buds, making it easier to manage audio devices. A handy widget also displays battery levels across all connected devices, simplifying device management. Several Samsung Health upgrades also support users in their pursuit of a healthier lifestyle.

However, the standout feature of this update is the ability to pair your watch with a different phone without having to reset the smartwatch entirely. This flexibility is a game-changer for users who want to switch devices while keeping their settings and data intact.

Meanwhile, users of Google’s first-generation smart watch, the Pixel Watch, are still waiting for Wear OS 4 to become available on their devices. There were reports last month that Google was readying a beta program for the Pixel Watch and Wear OS 4, according to some leaked info, however no further info has surfaced on this. At this rate, we expect Wear OS 4 for the Pixel Watch to be unveiled with the second-gen Pixel Watch 2 possibly in October.

This means that by the time the Pixel Watch gets to enjoy the benefits of the update, Samsung Galaxy watches such as the Watch 6, Watch 5, Watch 5 Pro — and Watch 4 and 4 Classic, which are also on the list to get this update in the future — will have benefitted from the update for over four months. So much for Pixel devices getting software updates first.